InstructorTalk

What are the thoughts of RC's in the USA relating to tiered motorcycle licensing? USA Today has released an article based on the Insurance industry findings that sportbikes are 4 times as likely to be involved in a crash.

I feel, sadly, that it's only a matter of time before additional legislation is passed specifically for these "dangerous" (*cough, cough) machines.

Personally I despise government intervention / intrusion in our private lives, but perhaps this would serve to save young lives. Talking about the 16-yr-old whose parents have no better sense than to buy him an R1 (pick your poison: ZX-10, GSXR 1000, etc.) for a first bike.

I'd rather see this approach instead of government-mandated restrictions on manufacturers. I can see Uncle Sam or the EU saying, "You can only build bikes less than 100hp, or under 750cc." etc. For Pete's sakes, our Children are Dying!!

Heaven forbid the powers that be consider anything remotely resembling personal responsibility. I guess this turned into a rant, more than a question. What say you?

There is some limited amount of tiered licensing here in the U.S., but it is pretty easy to go from zero experience to legal to ride a supercharged Hayabusa in 20 hours or less. Even in the UK, you can graduate to an unrestricted license in far less than 2 years, provided you are willing to take the training.

As for legislating anything more stringent than what we have, it will be fought against vigorously (and rightly so) if it isn't also tied to similar limitations on cage drivers. After all, low-time drivers get in deadly crashes, too. To restrict new riders to 149cc-and-smaller bikes without restricting new drivers to the automotive equivalent of the Citroen 2CV is not particularly "fair".

But, it certainly would increase the availability of small bikes in this country... Notice how we don't get the CBR125, like Canada does.